Two Separate Cases: Complex Chromosomal Abnormality Involving Three Chromosomes and Small Supernumerary Marker Chromosome in Patients with Impaired Reproductive Function

For medical genetic counseling, estimating the chance of a child being born with chromosome abnormality is crucially important. Cytogenetic diagnostics of parents with a balanced karyotype are a special case. Such chromosome rearrangements cannot be detected with comprehensive chromosome screening. In the current paper, we consider chromosome diagnostics in two cases of chromosome rearrangement in patients with balanced karyotype and provide the results of a detailed analysis of complex chromosomal rearrangement (CCR) involving three chromosomes and a small supernumerary marker chromosome (sSMC) in a patient with impaired reproductive function. The application of fluorescent in situ hybridization, microdissection, and multicolor banding allows for describing analyzed karyotypes in detail. In the case of a CCR, such as the one described here, the probability of gamete formation with a karyotype, showing a balance of chromosome regions, is extremely low. Recommendation for the family in genetic counseling should take into account the obtained result. In the case of an sSMC, it is critically important to identify the original chromosome from which the sSMC has been derived, even if the euchromatin material is absent. Finally, we present our view on the optimal strategy of identifying and describing sSMCs, namely the production of a microdissectional DNA probe from the sSMC combined with a consequent reverse painting.

Detection of Simple, Complex, and Clonal Chromosome Translocations Induced by Internal Radioiodine Exposure: A Cytogenetic Follow-Up Case Study after 25 Years

Here, we report the findings of a 25-year cytogenetic follow-up study on a male patient who received 2 rounds of radioiodine treatment within a span of 26 months (1.78 GBq in 1992 and 14.5 GBq in 1994). The patient was 34 years old with a body mass index of 25 at the time of the first radioiodine treatment. Multicolor FISH and multicolor banding (mBAND) techniques performed on the patient detected inter- and intrachromosomal exchanges. Although the frequency of chromosome translocations remained essentially the same as reported in our earlier study (0.09/cell), the percentage of reciprocal (balanced) translocations increased from 54.38 to 80.30% in the current study. In addition to simple chromosome translocations, complex exchanges (0.29%) involving more than 2 chromosomes were detected for the first time in this patient. Strikingly, a clonal translocation involving chromosomes 14 and 15, t(14p;15q), was found in 7 of the 677 cells examined (1.03%). The presence of complex and clonal translocations indicates the onset of chromosomal instability induced by internal radioiodine exposure. mBAND analysis using probes specific for chromosomes 1, 2, 4, 5, and 10 revealed 5 inversions in a total of 717 cells (0.69%), and this inversion frequency is several-fold higher than the baseline frequency reported in healthy individuals using the classical G-banding technique. Collectively, our study suggests that stable chromosome aberrations such as translocations and inversions can be useful not only for retrospective biodosimetry but also for long-term monitoring of chromosomal instability caused by past radioiodine exposure.

High resolution karyotype of thai crab-eating macaque (Macaca fascicularis)

Comparative chromosome banding analysis and/or fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) studies are established approaches to compare human and ape chromosomes. FISH-banding is a relatively new and not routinely applied method suited very well to provide to a better understanding of the evolutionary history of primate and human phylogeny. Here multicolor banding (MCB) applying probes derived from Homo sapiens was used to analyze the chromosomes of Thai crab-eating macaque (Macaca fascicularis). The results agree with those of previous studies in other macaques, e.g. Macaca sylvanus or Macaca nemestrina. This result pinpoints, that morphological differences within the Ceropithecoidae must be founded rather in subchromosomal changes or even in epigenetics than in gross structural alterations.

The Breakage-Fusion-Bridge Cycle Producing MLL Amplification in a Case of Myelodysplastic Syndrome

Telomere loss may lead to chromosomal instability via the breakage-fusion-bridge (BFB) cycle which can result in genetic amplification and the formation of ring and dicentric chromosomes. This cycle continues until stable chromosomes are formed. The case of a 72-year-old female with refractory anaemia with excess blasts type 2 illustrates these events. Conventional cytogenetics produced a complex karyotype which included unstable abnormalities of chromosomes 11, 12, and 15. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analyses including multicolor-FISH (M-FISH) and multicolor-banding (M-BAND) revealed multiple clonal populations with 5 copies of MLL on either a ring chromosome composed entirely of chromosome 11 material or a derivative chromosome composed of chromosomes 11, 12, and 15. The FISH results also clarified the likely evolution of the karyotypic complexity. The simplest cell line contained a dic(12;15) in addition to copy number aberrations that are typical of MDS or AML. As the disease progressed, a ring 11 was formed. Subsequently, the ring 11 appears to have unwound and inserted itself into the dic(12;15) chromosome followed by an inversion of the derivative chromosome, producing a der(11;15;12). Telomeric loss and BFB cycles appear to have played an important role in the chromosomal rearrangements and clonal evolution demonstrated in the karyotype.

Human Ring Chromosomes – New Insights for their Clinical Significance

Twenty-nine as yet unreported ring chromosomes were characterized in detail by cytogenetic and molecular techniques. For FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization) previously published high resolution approaches such as multicolor banding (MCB), subcentromere-specific multi-color-FISH (cenM-FISH) and two to three-color-FISH applying locus-specific probes were used. Overall, ring chromosome derived from chromosomes 4 (one case), 10 (one case), 13 (five cases), 14, (three cases), 18 (two cases), 21 (eight cases), 22 (three cases), X (five cases) and Y (one case) were studied. Eight cases were detected prenatally, eight due developmental delay and dysmorphic signs, and nine in connection with infertility and/or Turner syndrome. In general, this report together with data from the literature, supports the idea that ring chromosome patients fall into two groups: group one with (severe) clinical signs and symptoms due to the ring chromosome and group two with no obvious clinical problems apart from infertility.